Elul / Rosh Hashanah

That Ancient Memory

By Rabbi Label Lam

What’s the Shofar trying to say? I know this might sound like a college
poetry class but I believe it is a legitimate question. Imagine the
president convenes both houses of congress and the nation awaits his much
anticipated speech. He strolls confidently out to the podium and begins
grunting and groaning in long and short spurts as if he has a mouth full of
marbles and tape over his lips. It’s certainly an attention grabber but few
would get the message. Most would wonder, “What did he just try to say? Why
did he not use words?”

The Torah has plenty of words and could have chosen a fine speech for us to
hear at the beginning of each year but for some reason we are invited to
tune into the “KOL”-the sound- the tone of the Shofar. What is the meaning
of that raspy one note wonder? What’s the Shofar trying to say?

Let’s key into the following statement of the Talmud, “The Ribon Shel Olam
says, ‘Recite before me “Kingship” in order that I should be King over you-
“Remembrances”- that I will remember you for good- and through which means-
By way of the Shofar!” (Rosh HaShana 34B) Somehow the Shofar is a
ceremonial coronation tool and at the same time a reminder of our goodness.
How so?

It is no mistake that Rosh HaShana, the first day of Tishrei corresponds
with the 6th day of creation, the day “man”- mankind came into being. The
Torah describes the event in one sweeping term, “And HASHEM Elochim formed
man from the dust of the earth and He blew into his nostrils the breath of
life and he became a living being!” (Breishis 2:7) Could it be that the
blowing of the Shofar hearkens back to that original blowing? Is it for no
reason both events intersect that same day, year after year?! So what’s the
message?

Happy Birthday! Those words excite the mind, not only of the birthday boy or
girl, but of the parent as well. It wakes up feelings of nostalgia and
reminiscences of all the ideals and hopes present at that momentous
occasion. At the risk of oversimplifying, on Rosh HaShana we are revisiting
and being asked to justify the investment of that sublime blast of breath in
the lucid light of original intent. Teshuvah is the answer to this supernal
audit.

The Shofar wakes up these sleeping questions: “What have we done with that
breath? What should we ideally be doing with it? Have we made ourselves more
worthy or less worthy of that gift of life? Have our ideals and deeds
matched or approached the aspirations of the Holy Investor?”

Why is the Shofar more eloquent than this clumsy explanation? For what
reason are non-words more clear than any collection of verbiage? The Shofar
represents and expresses the first urge to create before any details of a
plan ever existed. Just as when a person goes through the laborious efforts
to build himself a house, he has to have had an itch, a yearning first to
create.

“The last act is the first thought”- we recite in Lecha Dodi on Friday
nights in Shul. First is the overpowering desire to create. Then the
artist’s rendition is etched in the mind with unspecified detail. Next are
the architectural plans. After that the gritty work begins.. There is an
identification of a plot of land and digging and pouring of cement and
framing. Finally, at the very end the designer enters his completed dream
home to survey, celebrate, and measure how well his ideals, his great
expectations are matched by reality.

How is that-longing best expressed? This crowning notion comes from a
“place” prior to words and specific architectural plans. It enunciates only
the initial desire for a residence, mixed with fear. Therefore the Shofar is
emanating from and reminding of a “time” beyond time, and before articulated
speech. It utters urgency and arouses that ancient memory.